Grading and storing machine for potatoes, etc.



APPLICATION F ILED OCT. 20, I921- Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEE T 1..

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

N. I. OAK.

GRADING AND STORING MACHINE- FOR'POTATOES, ETC.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20.192].

Patented Aug. '15," 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Nomi onN soN OA or trfnn, itass'rron usni'rs;

GRADINGAnn-STORING vi ec arivnron"PoTATons ETcI f'jj' f T 0 all whom it may concern."

Be it known'that I, NOAH J. OAK, a citizen of the United States residing at Lynn, in the county'of Essex-and State of Massa chusetts, have; invented certainnew andv useful Improvements in Grading and Storing Machines for Potatoes, Etc, of Whichthe following is a specification. I ft The invention is embodied in a sirnple and.

effective machine-adapted to receive potatoes of various sizes as harvested, separate the firstfromthe seconds and culls, store the firsts in a bin freight car, or ot-her receptacie,-and deliver the seconds andculls outside the receptacle.

One object of the invention isto provide a machine adaptedtoelevate and then drop the potatoes inudepositing the same, the ma-.

chine being adjustable in. such manner that] the elevation and the fall of the potatoes may be varied with the height of the pile, so that bruising of the potatoes by falling too far, and contacting too forcibly With the pile may be prevented, anda pile ofany desired height may be formed. i

Another object of the invention 55.110

provide a machine adaptedlto distribute. the potatoes by horizontally varying the location of their delivery, so that an oblongv pile or accumulation 'ofany desired height may be conveniently formed in an oblong receptacle.

Other objects ofthe invention yvilljappear, hereinafter.

Of the accompanying draivingsforming.

a part of this specificatmmi Figure 1 1s a side elevation of, a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same; I I I I 1 potatoes, .lrnoivnasseconds, and culls; to drop therethrough, the belt being adap'tedto r parts being broken away.

F i 'ure 3 is an end view.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side VlBWnSllOW-b ing a portion of the boom hereinafter de-v Specificationof Letters ratent j Patented .Afl 1922,; Application fiiedotobereo, 1921-. Serial No. 508,915. I i

r'igureiois tenants; showing at mach ne in'operative and folded for storage,-

P ts ng mitted- Figure 113; is a section ig i -'1 I.

' a Figure 12. hows diagrammatically a bin with a row ofholesin its bottom.. Q; Figure 13 is a fragmentary plan view, showingvadetail. Figures 14, 15 and 15 j are side elevations;

on line of.

showing modifications. i

t Figure 17 is afragmentary sectional viewp. showing the idle pulley hereinafter de scribed, and a portion of the conveyor belt.

by a horizontal shaft 16'," (-l ligiire v6) having bushings, l7, ins'ertedrin the"standards 15,

a ll th b m bars la he gbei adapted to turn on the bushings. The 'hold ing structure includes a base portion 1 8,'of

considerablehorizontal area, to whichlthe standards 15 are" attached. Said structure floor 19 0f a tpotato house, or other horizoners LO to facilitate its movement. Y I I I T he conveyor belt 12 is reticulate ,and its openings are formed to permit {the )smaller tain and convey the firsts or. largenpotatoes,

The belt is=preferablyof the Wire, mesh variety shown by igure' 5,j andlis provided WllillSPilOQCl apart cross-bars 21, projecting fromits external surfaces, toengage potatoes-l deposited on the upper stretch' ofthe belt and prevent them from "rollingdown-f ,ivard indefinitely, the beltbeinglongitudr' na-lly inclined; when in operation." the is p'oi'tablegwso that itfmay be moved on the a Q talfsupport and maybe provlded ivlth ca st belt-engaging pulley 22 and with the outer inner end ofthe boom is connectedan inner The outer pulley 23 constitutes an elementof the mechanism for driving the conveyor belt 12 and is'p'ositi'vely driven in the direction required to pull the upper stretch of the belt toward the outer end of the boom. Said mechanism also includes a sprocket wheel 30, fixed -to the outer shaft 27, a sprocket-wheel 81 fixed to the inner shaft 1 6, and an endless sprocketchaih 32 engaging said wheels. The chain is crossed'as indicated at 33 (Figure 11). The shaft 16 and the SP 'OCket-wheel 31 are driven by power applied thereto from any suitable source, and preferably from a motor, conventionally'sliown at 3 1 (Figuresl and 11), mount ed on the base 18 of the holding'structure, and "a sprocket-chain35 (Figures 2 and 6) engaged with'a sprocket-wheel 36 (Figure 2), "driven by ayshaft "of said motor, and

witha sprocket wheel 37, fast onthe shaft 156. The sprocket-wheel 31 is thus positively driven and drives'the crossed 'chain I 82. The described mechanism enables the outer-belt engaging pulley to be positively driven in the direction required to pull the upper stretch of the belt '12 and its load of potatoes outwardly from the inner end of theboom. The loaded upper stretch of the belt-bears a certain resemblance to a rope which, as is well known, ismore advantageously moved endwise by a pulling than by.

a pushing strain. The'successful employmentof the wire mesh eonveyor belt as an element of the machine is made possible by the described operating mechanism includingthe crossed chain 32 Potatoes, as harvested, are dumped into'a hopper 39, fixed to the holding structure.

Said hopper'has a grated bottom 10 overlapping-the inner end portionof theup'per stretch of the belt 12, and adapted to guide the potatoes on to said stretch, the dirt falling through the grated bottom without reaching the belt.

' In the preferred embodiment of the inv'ention, mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the boom by swinging it in. a vertical plane, and for locking the boom at any ad usted- POSltlOIl; Said mechanism preferably comprises a winding shaft or drum 4'1, journaled in bearings in the standards 15, and "provided with a crank 42, a

pulley 4-3, securedto a cross-bar between the standards 15, a pulley 1 1 secured to a yoke 15, which is pivoted'at 16 to ears 17, fixed to' the boom bars 13, and a rope 48 engaged with the" shaft 11 and with the pulleys and 44:. Rotation of the shaft 41in one direction raises theb oom, and rotation in the opposite direction permits the boom to descend. A ratchet 50 and a dog "51 are provided to lock the shaft 41, and thus retain the boom at, any adjusted height.

I prefer topivot'ally connect the base 18 of the holding structure with the sup-port 19, in such manner that said structure may turn on a vertical axis, and swing the boom horizontally, so that the potatoes delivered .by the conveyor belt may be distributed between them for means for conducting seconds (also culls) outwardly from between said stretches, and discharging the same at one side of and between the ends of the boom. I prefer to embody said means as follows: 55 represents a screen fixed to the boomand located between the belt stretches, in position to receive the seconds and culls which drop through the upper stretch of the belt. The screen is adapted to drop the dirt mixed with the seconds and culls, the dirt falling through the meshes of the screen and of the lower stretch of the conveyor belt. The screen is inclined endwiseflike the boom, and is also inclined sidewise, as

shown by Figure 7, and has at its lower end portion an, oblique guide or bar 56 (Figure2), adapted todirect' potatoes rolling on the screen to a lateral chutehT, projecting from one edge of the boom. The chute has a grated bottom 58 which guides the seconds to the outer end "of the chute, and permits the culls to drop into a branch 59, whereby the culls are separately discharged. To agitate the upper stretch of the belt '12 and the screen 55, and thus'aid them. in performing their functions, I provide knocking or agitatingmechanism, preferably embodied followsz 60 represents an agitator shaft journale'd in the boom bars between the stretches of the conveyorbelt, and between the upper stretch and the screen 55. Said shaft is provided with strikers 61, arranged in pairs and adapted to intermittently strike and raise a portion of the upper stretch of the belt, and intermittently strike and-depress a portion of the screen. The agitator shaft is provided with sprocketwheel 62, engaged with and continu ously driven by the conveyoi belt driving sprocket-chain The agitation of the'belt and screen distributes potatoes piled on each other on 'the- 'belt, and facilitates the separation of the seconds and culls from the firsts, and increases the effectiveness of the screen.

The conveyor-belt is provided with trans- 3 of wood. suitably attachedto the meshes of the belt. sagging of the lower. stretch of the; belt-is limited by an elongated idle ulley, the shaft 64of'which is journ ale in, fixed cars 65 on the boom arms, and extends crosswise of the belt. The pulley is composed-of .ahub 64* (Figure 18), arms 66 radiating from the hub, and heads 67 atthe ends of the arms. This construction pro vides recessesin theperip-hery' of the pulley through which the belt cleats 21 1pass, as indicated by FigurelT, the cleats. engaging the arms 66 and rotatingthepulley. r I

v The boomis provided with a sheet metalpartition68, located betweenthe stretches of the'belt and attached as by fastenings-69 (Figure 2) ,to the transverse connections 14. Theboom is also'provided, with aguard platefl'Q (Figure 11 covering the ,under side of the conveying portion of -the con:- veyor belt, at thereceiving end thereof, and

closing the meshes of saidsportion,to}pre-' vent the seconds and: culls from falling through the belt until they have been carried byiithelatter to. apoint over the screen 55. Projecting downward from the upper end of the guard plate. .72 lishan inclined guide or deflector 7.3 .(Figure "11), which di rects. falling seconds and culls on to, the lower end portion of. the screen. v

In operating the machine the .holding structure is loaatedand suitably. anchored, as by the pivotalconnection or bolt 52, to a support 19,.such' asthe-floor of aj potato house. If the support. is} theflooroi a bin 70, indicated by Figure"12, t'he support may i have a rowof hole'sp53, each. adapted to receive thebolt 52. The boom is lowered to the lowest inclined.positi'on1,.indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1. The potatoes, as brought from the ifield, are dumped into the-hopper 39, andfind theirj'way to the lower portion of thegupper stretch of the belt 12,.the loose dirt falling between the bars of the. hopper bottom.v 'When-the potatoes have been carried. across the guard 72, the seconds and culls drop through the belt on to-the screen55, and {are conducted. separatelyfrom .the machine by the chute .57, and its branch59. The firsts are conveyed to the upper end of the boom, ariddrop frontthe belt toflorm a. pile jTQ, :the low elevationoi the boom permitting the firsts to drop without being bruised, which; is an important desideratum in handling potatoes. As the; pile increases, the boom is raised from time. to.

per end of ,the'boom being ,keptnear the top of the pile. The machine may' lbe turned gon the pivot. bolt 52 as may berequired to swing the boom laterally or horizontally, as indicated'bydotted lines in Figure 2, and thus distributethe deposited potatoes. The boom may becaused to enter a freightc-ar, located beside the support 19, the machine being operated to load the cars y 'Toprovide for the shortening of the boom when the machine is 'usedfor loading a car, and when the machine is to be reduced to compact form, as shown vby Figure 10, for

storage and shipment, l constrfuct the boom inseparable sections, detachably 1 connected. I

'rls shown by Figures 1, 10 and 11,three secknucklesfa, The ai-i =,angement ofs'aid hinge 7 connections. issuch that when theyboom is folded, the outer section 13, is interposed between the :ba'sesectionand the .interme diate section, as, shown by Figure 10. To permit the belt to be folded, with the boom,

the belt may be broken,.orhave its continuity' interrupted, as byseparating. one of the zigzag wiremembers lQ? (Figureti) from the member with which is ,interengaged, this being accomplished by bending the wire.

The section 13 is additionally and sepai rablyronnected with the intermediate section, as :by hinges v ha v. ing knuckles 'g-ati (Figure 1) and the outer section issimil'arly connected with. the intermediate section, as v by hinges having knuckles at '78, each;of said hinges including socket members 79, and pintle members 80. f The said hinges hold the boom -sectionsv in' alinem'ent with each otherwhenthe machine is inoperation.

The pintle members are removable from] the socket members to permit thedescribed folding of the boom, The socketvmembers 7901 some of the hinges are shown atjthe upper portion of FigurelO.

To shorten the boom .Iremoveithe pintle members: of .the hinge connectionsbetween the outer section 13; andthe intermediate section 13", and "temporarily discard the outer section, .leavingthe intermediate section 13 as the outer end otthe boom, as shown; by Figure 4.. Thefbasesection and the intermediate section, therefore, constitute ashortened boom,.and.1nay beconsidered as collectively;constitutingthe inner section lof ,tw o -section" boonn The intermediate section is provided atitsputer. end withbearingsfiw, forthe shaiftfl'i of the belt-ep'gaging pulley 23, said pulley transrerred from the bearings 29 to the bearings .29, and the belt 12 being shortened by removing a section thereof. The machine is thus adapted for loading freight cars.

The motor 34 is preferably arranged, as shown by Figures 1 and 11, to counter-balance the weight of the boom and its load, so that the machine may be self supporting. The pivotbolt 52 is arranged in. close proximity to the motor, and prevents the tipping of the machine by the weight of the'boom and its load.

Figure 14 shows a modification in which the boom is supported by the pile 72, the boom having a foot 82 bearing on the pile. I Figure 15 shows a modification in which the boom is adjustably supported from a fixed overheadvsupport 83, by a suspension device,'which may include a rope 84 and pulleys 85.

Figure 16 shows a modification in which an endless wire mesh belt 86 is substituted for the screen 55. Said belt'may be driven by the chain 32 which drives the conveyor belt 12, the arrangement being such that the upper stretch of the'belt 86 moves in the opposite direction from the upper stretch of the belt l2,'the seconds and culls falling on the belt 86, and passing from thenceto the chute 57. v Then the machine isu'sed for bagging potatoes, a bag rack or holder may be located at the outer end'of the boom, to hold a bag in position to receive the potatoes delivered by thebelt. 1 Y

I claim:

1. A potato-grading and storing machine, comprising, in combination, a portable holdi ig'structure adapted to rest on a floor, a boom pivoted at one end to said structure to swing in a vertical plane, and provided with belt-supportingpulleys at its opposite ends, adjustable means connecting the boom with the supporting structure 'to support the boom'in an inclined position and Vary its inclination and the height of its outer end, a reticulated endless conveyor belt engaged with said pulleys, mechanism carried by the holding structure and the boom, for driving the belt to move its upper stretch outward from the holding structure, a hopper mount- 7 ed on the holding structure in posit-ion to deliver-potatoes to the inner end of the upper stretch of the belt, the belt being adapted to conveyfirsts onits upper stretch to the outer end of the boom, and to drop seconds and I culls, means between the stretches of the belt for collecting seconds and culls and laterally discharging the. same at one side of "the boom, and anchoring means for detachably securing the holding structure to a floor supporting the same.

2. A potatmgrading and storing machine,

with-said pulleys, mechanism carried-by the p holding structure and the boom/tor driving thebelt to moveits upper stretch outward from the holding structure; a hopper mounted on the holdingfstructure in position to deliveripot'atoes to the i-nnerfend of the upper stretch-0t *the belt, the-belt being adapted to convey firsts on its upper stretch to the outer end oft h'e boom, and to drop seconds andculls, means between the stretches of the b'elt {for collecting seconds and culls and laterally discharging the same at-one side of the boom, and. anchoring inea'ns for detach'ably securing the holding structure to a floor supporting the same, said anchoring means being' adapted to' permitthe'tu'rning of the machine, and the swinging-of the 'booIn ona vertical axis,'so thatfirsts delivered bythe belt may be laterally distributed. I

A giading and storing machine comprising a portable holding structure, a boom' pivoted at its' inner end to "said structure,

and an endless reticulated conveyor-belt ca'rriedby theboom'andadapted to be made non-continuous, "the boom including a base section pivoted to the holding structure, and a plurality of additional sections, means being provided for rigidly-connecting thesections end -to "end toform an elongated boom, and permitting the additional sections to be folded beside each other and-beside the-"base section on the holdingstructure, to form a compact assemblagewhose length is determined'by the length of the sections.

4. A grading {and storing machine comprising a'portable'holding structure a boom pivoted atits innerend to s'aidstru'cture, and an endless ireticulated conveyor-belt carried by the boom, and-adap'tedto "be made noncontinuousgthe boom including a basesection pivoted to theholdingstructure, an intermediate section, and anouter section, per- 7 manent double jointed hinge connections connecting said sections, and adapted to permit the sections to be folded side by side, with the'outer'sectionbetween the inner and the intermediate "sections, and means for holding the sectionsin-ali'nementwith each other. 5. A grading and storing machine com prising a portable holding structure, 'aboom pivoted at its inner end to said structure, and including "a base section pivoted to the holding structure, an intermediate section,

provided at its outer end With bearings, and an outer section also provided at its outer end with bearings, permanent hinge connections connecting said sections and having provisions for permitting the storing of the sections and the belt in folded relation on the holding structure, means being provided for separzibly connecting the sections and holding the same in ,allnement with each whereby it may be engaged with the bearsections. V a In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature NOAH JOHNSON OAK.

ings ofeither-of said intermediate and outer 

